Vapor stove construction



Jan. 21, l1936.

A. J. YEAGER YAPOR- sTovE CONSTRUCTION Jari. 21, 1936. A. J. YEAGER I VAPOR STOVE CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-S1166??l 2 Patented Jan. 21, 1936 PATENT N OFFICE VAPOR STOVE CONSTRUCTION Anton J. Yeager, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., assignor to PrentisseWabers Products Co., Wiscousin Rapids, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsn Application November 23, 1932, Serial No. 644,014

Y claims. (ol. 15s-s1) This invention relates to a new and improved construction for Vapor stoves and more particularly to stoves of this type equipped with so called instant lighting or equivalent preheating devices. Stoves of this type are provided with a genera-r tor tube and with a preheater burner for preheating the generator tube. This burner'may also function during'the normal operation of the stove.V A preferred method of accomplishing instant lighting is to initially Vsend through the generator tube a mixture of air and gas under pressure from the pressure tank. When the generator tube has reached a proper temperature, the liquid fuel is sent through the generator tube and the mixture of air and fuel is cut off. With stoves entirely manually operated it is necessary to watch the stove and at the proper time manipulate the fuel and fuel and air valves.V Certain types of thermostatic controls have been developed but these require a careful adjustment of clearance between expanding and control units. The thermal expansion of the generator tube or of a heated rod is gradualand it is not desired to turn on the fuel gradually but only after the generator has reached a predetermined temperature. With prior constructions it has been necessary to make a careful adjustment after removing and replacing the generator in cleaning or repairing it. I While my invention is particularly adapted to use with stoves having the instant lighting features, it is also applicable to other types ofvapor stoves. An additional important function of the thermostatic control is the fact that it Vwill automatically out off the fuel if the burner is extinguished in any manner and the control element is cooled down. This feature is an important safety factor in the use of the stove.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new vand improved vapor stove construction.

It is a further object to provide a new and improved thermostatic control for such stoves.

VIt is also an object to provide a thermostatic control which requires no measured adjustment by the user.` Y

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds. I have shown a Vpreferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a burner assembly with my inventionapplied thereto; 'y

`Figure 2 is an elevation, partly broken away, of the right hand portion of the Construction of Figure l, on an enlarged scale i Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 o Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, the burner manifold assembly II is provided with the mixing chamber I2 connected by passage I3 to the header I4. The header I4 is connected by pipe |5'to burner I6, by pipe I1 to burner I8, by pipe |9 to burner 20, and by pipe 2| to burner 22. It is also connected through passage 23 with the small preheating burner 24 which is located below the generator tube 25. end 26 extending into the mixing chamber I2 and retained in place by the set screw 21.

The outer endof the generator 25 has an enlargedcylindrical portion 28 which is slidably fitted in a corresponding opening in the upstanding lug 29 which is carried by the adjacent end of the manifold assembly II. The generator is provided with the control valve member 30 which, as shown in Figure 4, has an end portion 3| threaded into the generator tube 25. The portion 3| is further provided with the valve portion 32 and the point 33 which extends through the orifice in the cap 34 and serves to keep that orifice free of foreign matter. The valve member 3D is provided with an operating handle 35 and is supported by the packing 36 held in place by gland 31.

The thermostat housing 38 has a reduced portion 39 extending through the lug 29 and retained in place by the nut 40. The portion 39 is provided with a bore 4 I ,which communicates with the pipe 42, which latter leads from the liquid fuel in the fuel tank (not shown). This bore 4| is closed by'the point 43 on the sliding valve member 44 fitted in the enlarged recess 45 in the thermostat housing 38. The flexible diaphragm 46 is retained in place in the housing by collar 4l which is threaded in place to clamp the diaphragm members against the housing. The cylindrical member 48 is fitted into the central opening in the collar 41 and bears against the diaphragm `46. 'I'he member 48 holds the plunger 49, which has an enlarged shoulder 50. 'I'he inner endl of the plunger 49 ts in a guide bore in the cylinder 48, while tle enlargedv `portion 50 ts slidingly in the enlarged bore in the cylinderf. The spring 5| bears against the end of the bore in the cylinder and against the underside of the enlarged portion 50 on the plunger. The cap 52 is threaded onto the end of the cylinder and retains the the cylinder. Y

The generator tube 25 has a reduced' plunger l and spring Within The outer member 28 of the generator assembly is provided with the lateral extending lug 53 which carries the adjusting screw 54 which may be retained in adjusted position by the lock nut 55. This screw 54 engages the outer end of the plunger 49.

Referring now to Figure 3, the pipe 55 leads from the liquid fuel tank and is adapted to carry from that tank a mixture of the fuel and of the air under pressure located in the tank above the fuel level. This pipe 55 connects to the passage 51 in the thermostat housing 38. The passage 51 connects to passage 58 which isY connected by pipe 59 to passage 68 formed in the generator member 28. The passage 58 leads to the chamber 6| in the generator about the valve member 3D. The passage 51 also leads to the chamber 62 formed in the thermostat housing between the sliding valve member 44 and the housing.

In the operation of the stove the Valve, not shown, controlling the pipe 55 is opened and the mixture of fuel and air passes through the passages 51, 58; pipe 59, and passage 6D to the generating chamber 6 I, and passes from the generator into the mixing chamber I2 and down through pipe I4 and passage 23 to the small generating burner 24. `This mixture of fuel and air can be ignited immediately by a match. It heats the generator tube 25 and as this tube 25 is heated it expands, moving the member 2B and the lug 53 with the screw 54 to the right, as seen in Figure 2'. During the initial movement the plunger 49 moves under the impulse of the spring 5I to follow the screw 54 and maintain contact therewith. The pressure of spring 5l also forces the cylinder 48 against the diaphragm 46, retaining the valve 44V at its left limit of movement, as seen in Figure 4, with the point 43 closing off the passage 4I which leads to the supply of liquid fuel.

When the tube 25 has been heated sufficiently so that it expands to an extent that the screw 54 clears contact with the plunger 49, the entire plunger and cylinder assembly is free to move to the right to whatever limit is set by the screw 54. The slide 44V is then forced to the right by the pressure of the fuel in the tank and flexes the diaphragm 46 sufficiently to cause this movement. The diaphragm may be cup-shaped and have a spring action to follow the cylinder 48 and release the slide Valve 44. The liquid fuel passes from the passage 4I into the chamber 62 formed by the slide 44 and from this chamber it goes out through passage 51, passage 5B, pipe 59 and passage 50. to the generating chamber 6|. As soon as this flow of liquid fuel takes place, a pronounced difference is noted in the fiame from the generating burner 24 and the valve controlling the pipe 55 may then be turned off. It will be understood that at this time the temperature of the generating tube will be such that the liquid fuel will be properly vaporized by the heat and the stove will be in full operation. Such other burners as desired may be put in operation by opening their associated'valves.

Should the flame of the generating burner become extinguished through any cause, the generator tube 25vvill cool and will shrink, drawing the' lug 53 and screw 54 to the left as seen in Figure 2. These will again force theplungerY 49 into its cylinder and when the plunger reaches its limit of movement', will move cylinder 48 and move the slide valve 44 to the left and close off the passage 4| so as to4 cut offY the fuel. The thermostatic control, therefore. not only serves to automatically turn on the liquid fuel when the generator has reached the proper generating temperature, but it further serves as a safety device to cut off the flow of fuel should the flame become extinguished in any manner.

The thermostatic control is so designed as to permit the flow of liquid fuel yafter the generator tube has reached a predetermined temperature. This temperature is determined by the extent of movement of the plunger 49 in cylinder 5I before the adjusting screw 54 clears the end of the plunger, due to the expansion of the generating tube under heat. In actual operation it has been found that with the generating tube of approximately the proportion shown in the drawings, a

movement of the plunger within its housing of about 6/1000 of an inch will insure the liquid fuel being held from the generator until the generator has reached the desired temperature.

This adjustment is made initially in the construcy.

tion of the parts and no adjustment is needed by the user of the device.

The left end of the plunger 49, as seen in Figure 4, is placed in the cylinder 5l and the cap v52 is threaded down to its limit of movement. The

Whole movement then of the plunger 49 is controlled by its seat against the left end of` the cylinder or the thrust of the shoulder 50 against the closure 52. These elements may be properly proportioned at the time of manufacture. In adjusting the stove, therefore, after the generator has been put in position and fixedly clamped by setting up the set screw 21, it is only necessary CII to bring the screw 54 firmly against the end of the plunger 49 by means of the fingers, and then tighten the lock nut 55. This forces the plunger to its inner or left limit of movement as seen in Figure 4. Perfect adjustment is thus had without the use of' any feeler gauges or other measuring means. Further, the flow of gasoline will always be started at exactly the proper temperature.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment oi my invention, this is to be understood to be illustrative only, as it is capable of change and modii'lcation to meet varying conditions and requirements, and I contemplate such modifications as come Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Y

I claim:

1. In a vapor stove or the like, a fixed stove structure, a generator tube having one portion xedly secured to the fixed structure and another portion free to move relative to the fixed stove structure, a fuel valve assembly engaging the i.

xed structure, a member carried by the tube normally engaging the valve, the connection between the xed structure and tube portion positively maintaining the valve closed, and permitting the valve to open upon predetermined expansion of the tube upon being heated.

2. In a vapor stove or the like, a fixed stove structure, a generator tube having one portion fixedly secured to the fixed structure and another portion free to move relative to the -fixed stove structure, a fuel valve assembly supported by the fixed structure, said valve assembly including a valve, and a plunger engaging the valve structure to hold the valve closed, and a lug on the free end of the generator carrying means engaging the outer face of the plunger.

3. In a Vapor stove or the like, a fixed stove structure, a generator tube having one portion flxedly secured to the fixed structure and another portion free to move relative to the fixed stove structure, a fuel valve assembly supported by the xed structure, said valve assembly including a valve and a plunger engaging'the'valve structure to hold the valve closed, said plunger having a limited decrease in length under pressure, and a lug on the free end of the generator carrying adjustable means engaging the outer face of the plunger.

4. In a vapor stove or the like, a main fuel supply valve assembly, comprising a valve member and a plunger assembly normally forcing said valve to closed position, an element adapted to expand under heat, a member carried by said element and engaging the plunger assembly, said plunger assembly comprising a plurality of elements and a spring urging a movement of said elements to cause a limited elongation of the plunger assembly whereby the plunger andengaging means are maintained in contact and the valve maintained closed through a predetermined expansion of the heat expansive element.

5. `In a vapor stove or the like, a main fuel supply valve assembly, comprising a valve member and a plunger normally forcing said valve to closed position, an element expansible under Vhousing and movable member permitting a limited relative movement of the member and housing, and a spring within the housing and engaging the member to urge it toward its outer limit of movement whereby the plunger and engaging means are maintained in contact and the valve maintained closed through a predetermined expansion of the heat expansive element.

ANTON J. YEAGER. 

